FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team swept UAlbany before dropping a close 3-2 battle against UIC Saturday to close out the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Classic.
Sasha Van Der Merwe was named to the All-Tournament team.
"I think they did a great job in both matches especially for this early in the season and the team has a lot to take away from today," head coach Matt Botsford said. "I love how competitive they were, loved how they were fighting, I'm happy with it and we will go watch the film and figure out what we can do better moving into next week."
FGCU (2-1) faced the Great Danes (1-2) in the morning action of the Classic. In the first set, FGCU led 6-5 before pushing out an 8-0 run to take a 14-5 advantage and never looked back continuing its offensive dominance.
The Great Danes were only able to get six more points as the Eagles ran away with a 25-11 win. FGCU held UAlbany to an impressive -0.067 attacking percentage in the first and 0.029 overall for the match.
Set two would be no different for the Green & Blue, mustering up a 10-7 advantage before going on a 5-0 rally to lead 15-7. The Great Danes tried closing the gap, but the Eagles still outscored them 10-7, and kept them at bay for a 25-15 set-two win.
In the third set both teams were tied 11-11 before the Green & Blue pushed ahead for 14 points that included four kills from
Shelby Kent and a pair each from
Oreva Evivie and
Skylar English compared to UAlbany's eight points. The Eagles sealed their first sweep of the season with a 25-19 victory. English fired a game-high 13 kills and
Shanelle Puetz had a double-double with 17 assists and a new career high of 12 digs.
In the final match of the classic, both FGCU and the Flames entered the night undefeated and wanted to end with a perfect record. The first set began intense and was tied 13-13 before witnessing two lead changes. Even again at 22-22, the Eagles found momentum and outscored the Flames 3-1 to take the set 25-23.
The battle continued in the second set but this time UIC (3-0) jumped ahead with an 8-4 advantage. FGCU answered with an 8-2 rally and took the lead 12-10, but the Flames did not burn out and tied the set 19-19. The Green & Blue did not find an answer for UIC and gave up the set, 25-22.
In set three the Eagles came out with a 6-2 advantage, but UIC stifled the Eagles offense and delivered a 9-1 run to overtake the lead, 11-7. The Flames kept pushing through outscoring FGCU 14-11 to win the set 25-18.
The fourth set started similar to the first with both teams once again even at 11 all but the Eagles soared to a narrow 16-13 lead featuring two kills from
Shelby Kent. The lead lasted for a short time and both teams ended up locked again at 23 apiece.
Newcomer Van Der Merwe showed why she was the 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Year and dominated the last two points of the set with back-to-back kills as the Eagles won 25-23 and a chance to fight with a fifth set.
UIC wanted to wrap the set up gaining a 10-6 advantage early, but the Eagles clawed its way back to just a two point deficit, 12-10, unfortunately for the Green & Blue it would not be enough and the Flames sealed the match with three final kills to win 15-12
English paced the Eagles in kills once again, tallying 18. Puetz had 29 assists. Despite the close lost the Green & Blue set the tone from the service line, outpacing the Flames in aces 7-4.
FGCU will be action next at the Northeastern Tournament in Boston, Mass. taking on Lindenwood Sep. 6 at 10 a.m.
FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Classic:
UIC 3-0
FGCU 2-1
UAlbany 1-2
North Dakota State 0-3
FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP – Zahria Woodard (UIC)
Tamara Kisic (UIC)
Sasha Van Der Merwe (FGCU)
Shynelle Woroniuk (UAlbany)
Logan O'Brien (NDSU)
